This application relates to oxidation of ammonia whereby direct oximation of ketones is achieved.
It is known that ammonia can be oxidized at high temperatures such as 780.degree. C. by air producing mainly nitrogen and water together with small traces of ammonium nitrate and nitrogen dioxide. By use of a catalyst such as platinum gauze, or Pt/Rh, it is known to oxidize ammonia with air to nitric oxide. The nitric oxide reacts further with oxygen of air to form nitrogen dioxide which is absorbed in water to form nitric acid. The normal commercial process for production of the partial oxidation product, hydroxylamine, is by oxidation of ammonia to nitrogen oxides over cobalt oxide catalyst, followed by reduction of nitrogen oxides using sulfur dioxide in the so-called Raschig process, or by reduction of nitric oxide by hydrogen over a platinum-on-carbon catalyst. It has also been reported that ammonia is oxidized by oxygen to hydroxylamine plus nitrous acid as the main products condensed on the vessel walls (by liquid air cooling), when passed over a platinum catalyst at low pressure and at very high temperatures (740.degree.-1350.degree. C.)--W. Kraus, Z. Phys. Chem. Part B, vol. 39 of 1938, pg. 83; vol. 45 of 1939, pg. 1; Z Elektrochem. vol. 54 of 1950, pg. 264; also that ammonia adsorbed on activated carbon in presence of air and water vapor forms hydroxylamine (C. Courtny et al., Comptes Rendus vol. 223 of 1946, page 624). See Chemical Abstracts vol. 34 of 1940 col. 931(8); vol. 32 of 1938, col. 4865(4); vol. 45 of 1951 col. 29(g); vol. 41 of 1947 col. 1945(b).